Richard+Mucie

In November of 1967, 19-year-old Nancy Ward, a student at the University of Oklahoma, told her boyfriend that she was pregnant and wanted an abortion. The boyfriend contacted his father in Kansas City, Missouri for help. At the end of January, 1968, the boyfriend's father contacted Dr. Richard Mucie at his ear, nose, and throat clinic in Kansas City and made arrangements for the abortion.

During the abortion, performed in early February, Mucie made a 1/2 inch tear in Nancy's uterus. She went into shock and died at the clinic at about 9 a.m., in spite of Mucie's attempts to resuscitate her. An autopsy revealed parts of a 4 1/2 to five month fetus still in Nancy's uterus. She had bled to death.

Mucie was convicted in June of1968, of performing an abortion "not necessary to preserve the life" of the mother. Illegal abortion at that time carried a penalty of 3-5 years, with the sentence to be increased in cases where the mother died. Mucie served 14 months then was released on parole. Parole was set to expire in late July, 1977. His medical license was revoked in May, 1971. After //Roe v. Wade// overturned Missouri's abortion law, Mucie successfully appealed his conviction and got his license restored under a ruling that made //Roe// retroactive in Missouri. He was released from probation and his record expunged of the manslaughter-abortion conviction.

Richard Paul Mucie was born July 2, 1914, in Missouri, and died Oct. 11, 1992 in Kansas City. He married Gladys W. Simons on Jul. 26, 1947.

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Deceased Name: Dr. Richard P. Mucie
Dr. Richard Paul Mucie, 77, midtown Kansas City, an osteopathic physician, died Oct. 10, 1992, at Bethany Medical Center. Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Redemptorist Fathers Catholic Church. The family suggests contributions to the church. Dr. Mucie retired from his practice in 1990. He was a member of the American Osteopathic Association. He was a member of the church. He was a member of the Exchange Club of Kansas City and UNICEF International. He formerly was a Golden Gloves champion boxer in Detroit. He was born in Collinsville, Ill., and lived in Detroit before he moved to this area in 1942. Survivors include his wife, Barbara Mucie; a daughter, Mrs. Patrick Moran, Kansas City; two brothers, Charles Mucci, Detroit, and Amol Mucci, Dearborn Heights, Mich.; a sister, Della Fabrizi, Sun City, Ariz.; and a granddaughter."